Tropical Storm Melissa is located approximately 305 miles south-southwest of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, and moving west-northwest at 7 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph, with some strengthening possible over the next few days. The storm could become a hurricane on Thursday.

The NHC expects a decrease in forward speed and a turn to the northwest and north-northwest over the next few days, with Melissa expected to approach Jamaica and the southwestern part of Haiti later this week.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti from the border with the Dominican Republic to Port-Au-Prince, while a tropical storm watch is in effect for Jamaica.

The slow-moving storm could bring dangerous rainfall to southern Haiti, southern Dominican Republic, and eastern Jamaica through Saturday, with 5-10 inches expected through Friday. Areas of significant flash flooding and mudslides are possible.

Forecasters describe this as an extremely uncertain forecast, with significant changes possible. Melissa is the 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.

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(Image credit: NOAA)

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